Cardozo’s strength is showing

Danielle Cardozo said that at this point in the MasterChef Canada competition, she has stepped up to the plate (pun intended)

Danielle Cardozo, MasterChef Canada competitor, is now a front-runner in the competition. — Marie Milner photo

Danielle Cardozo and her team did not win the canapé competition shown in episode six of MasterChef Canada, but Cardozo said she is absolutely proud of her ability as a captain. She picked her team members according to their strengths rather than their social skills, despite previous tension among them.

“Maybe we didn't win the challenge,” Cardozo said, “but we did win in team work. I took some major personalities that didn't get along, and encouraged them to work as a team. In that we succeeded, and that's what matters to me. I am happy that I am able to walk away from a team challenge with integrity.”

Cardozo felt that the team’s loss was her fault, and agonized over the option of giving herself immunity from elimination in the upcoming pressure test. However, the option was taken from her and given to the winning team, who opted to leave her in the pressure test. That turned out very well for Cardozo.

When the judges announced that the four pressure test cooks each had to make and bake a perfect cheesecake in 90 minutes, Cardozo was delighted.

“Cheesecake and I have a very long history together,” Cardozo said. “It has been a guilty pleasure for as long as I can remember.”

Judge Claudio Aprile commented that Cardozo’s cheesecake—a limoncello key lime cheesecake—was “beyond very good,” and in the end, it was judged best of the four.

If you watched the commercials during this episode, you may have caught a glimpse of Cardozo in the Alexander Keith’s ad, where her glazed pork chop recipe features Keith’s Cascade Hop Ale. Now, as winner of the cheesecake challenge, Cardozo will have her cheesecake recipe featured in a print ad for Kraft's Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

“I think Canada is starting to realize that I am in this competition to win,” Cardozo said. “I might have started off slow, but that is no longer the pace I am going. My game face is on and I am officially a front runner in this competition.”

Noted and applauded.